1: Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him: 2: 'What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? 3: Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings. 4: Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink. 5: Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction. 6: Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul, 7: He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again. 8: Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change. 9: Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!' 10: A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price. 11: The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not. 12: She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life. 13: She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands. 14: She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread. 15: Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels. 16: She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. 17: She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms. 18: She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night. 19: Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff. 20: Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy. 21: She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet. 22: Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing. 23: Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land. 24: Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant. 25: Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day. 26: Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue. 27: She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not. 28: Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her, 29: 'Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.' 30: The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself. 31: Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!
